Thera 2.22: Bhaddaji
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(142):Bhaddaji Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter II. Two Verses =142. Bhaddaji= Reborn in this Buddha-age at Bhaddīya,1 as the only child of a councillor whose fortune was worth eighty crores(x10 milllion),2 he was named Bhaddaji, and was brought up in luxury, like that attending the Bodhisat in his last rebirth. ... (The Commentary then relates the story of his sudden 130 realization of arahantship(enlightenment) while listening for the first time to the Buddha, the latter having come from Sāvatthī purposely to seek him out; together with his following the Lord(Buddha) and his company, the week after, to Koṭigama, and retiring to the bank of the Ganges to become absorbed in jhāna. From there he emerges only when the Lord(Buddha) came by, not heeding the preceding chief Theras. To vindicate his new supreme attainments, the Buddha invites him on to his own ferry-boat, and remains him work a wonder. Bhaddaji upon that raises the submerged palace he lived in when he was King Panāda, all being told in the 'Maha-panada-Jataka,' ii., No. 264.) Then the Thera described the golden mansion in which he had once lived, speaking of himself, that self having passed away,3 as of another: ---- 163 Panādo nāma so rājā yassa yūpo suvaṇṇayo,|| Tiriyaɱ soḷasapabbedho uddhamāhu sahassadhā.|| || 164 Sahassakaṇḍo satabheṇḍu dhajālū haritāmayo,|| Anaccuɱ tattha gandhabbā chasahassāni sattadhā' ti.|| || ---- 163 Panada was that king by name Whose palace was of gold; Sixteen apartments deep it stood, Up high a thousandfold. 164. A thousand steps it rose on high, Its walls with scroll-work dressed, With many a flaunting banner hung, With emeralds glittering bright. it was there they danced, Gandharvas danced, Six thousand in seven bands. ---- 1 In the Angas' country, east of Magadha. Koṭigama was near Patna. The Bodhisat is, of course, Gotama, before he became a Buddha. The Commentary differs from the Jātaka version (see next page) only in a few small details, and uses independent phraseology. Today September 03, 2014 5:20 AM using the copper kahapana, that would be approximately $57,200,000, using the gold kahapana that would be approximately $345,150,000,000. 2 I.e., 800,000,000. The unit seems to have been a copper coin, termed kahapana. See Bud. India, p. 100 ff. 3 On this mythical king see also Dīgha, iii. 76; Jāt., iv., No. 489. Dīpavaṃsa, iii. 7; Mahāvaṃsa (translation), xxxi. 7 ff. Jat. No. 264 gives a fuller account of Bhaddaji's performance. The text versions are uncertain in some of the descriptive terms, and the Commentary's authorities are equally divided. Hence the attempt at ballad form above does not claim to have selected an absolutely correct rendering. The last two lines refer to the vain efforts of mimes or musicians, collected by Panāda's father to make the prince smile. He, reminiscent of celestial art, was only moved to a slight smile when Sakka, the god(king of gods), sent a celestial harlequin (Jāt., op. cit.). Cf. Mil. 130. ---- =2.3-2 142 Commentary on the stanza of Bhaddajitthera= The stanza starting with Panādo nāma so rājā constitutes that of the venerable Thera Bhaddaji. What is the origin? It is said that this one was reborn in a brahmin family, at the time of the Blessed One Padumuttara; on having attained the age of intelligence, he reached the further shore in the sea of science and arts of the brahmins, gave up sensual pleasures, renounced the world, become a recluse-hermit, had a hermitage built in the forest region and was dweling there when he happened to have seen, one day, the Master going through the sky, became pious-minded and stood lifting up his clasped hands. On having come to know his intention the Master descended from the sky. When, however, the Blessed One had descended, he offered honey, lotus sprouts (bhisa), lotus stalks (muḷāla), ghee and milk. Out of compassion for him, the Blessed One accepted his offering, spoke words of thanks and departed. On account of that act of merit, he sprang up in (the heavenly mansion of) Tusita, where he stayed as long as his life-span lasted, and wandering about his rounds of repeated rebirths but in excellent existences now and then thereafter, became a banker of bountiful wealth at the time of the Blessed One Vipassī, had sixty eight thousand monks fed and covered with a set of three robes each. In this manner, having done much good deed, he sprang up in the divine world, where having stayed on as long as his life-span lasted, he passed away thence and came into being among men in the world bereft of Buddhas, attended upon five hundred silent buddhas with four recluse’s requisites (paccaya), passed away thence, was reborn in a royal family, exercised his sovereignty, attended upon his son who stood having attained silent buddhahood, collected his relics when he passed away, set up a shrine and made his reverential offering to it. In this manner, having done these and those meritorious deeds here and there, he was reborn as the only son of the banker Bhaddiya, whose wealth amounted to eighty crores in the city of Bhaddiya, when this Buddha arose. His name was Bhaddaji. It is said that his prosperity comprising overlordship (issariya), wealth, retinue and so on in his last and final (carima) existence was similar to that of the Bodhisatta. At that time, the Master, having resided spending His lent at Sāvatthi, went to the city of Bhaddiya together with a large clergy of monks in order to uplift the youth Bhaddaji and dwelt in the forest of Jātiyā awaiting the all-round maturity of his knowledge (ñaṇaparipāka). He also seated on the height of his palace, opened the lion-cage-like window, had a look and noticed a multitude of men on their way to go and listen to the truth (dhamma) in the presence of the Blessed One, asked about where the large crowd of people were going, heard about that circumstance (kāraṇaṃ), himself also, with a large retinue, went to the presence of the Master, and as he kept listening to the truth (dhamma), threw off all his depravity, but being aptly adorned with all adornments and attained Arahantship. Hence, had it been said in the Apadāna:– “Having gone down into such a lotus pond as was frequented by different varieties of elephants, I pulled out lotus sprouts (bhisa) there, for the sake of satisfying my hunger (ghāsahetu), then. Indeed, at that juncture, the Glorious One called Padumuttara, Buddha, the bearer of red cloud (rettambaradharo) went through the sky (anilañjase) Shaking His robe of rags (paṃsukulāni), I then heard the sound of it. Reflect- ingly looking upwards I caught sight of the leader of the world. Having kept myself but standing there even, I made my request to the leader of the world; May the Buddha, possessor of eyesight (cakkhumā) out of compassion for me, accept my offering of honey mixed with (sahitaṃ) lotus sprouts (bhisehi), of milk, butter and lotus stalks (muḷālikaṃ). Thereafter, the merciful Master, the fully famous, the possessor of eyesight (cakkhumā), descended and accepted my offer- ing of meal, out of compassion for me. The Self-awakened Buddha, having accepted (my offering) made His thanks giving (anumodana): May you be happy, O man of much merit: May your career (gati) prosper (samijjhatu); by means of this offering of lotus sprout (bhisa) may you gain bountiful bliss. The self-awakened Buddha named Jalajuttama, the most excellent water flower, the self- enlightened conqueror went through the sky taking my meal offering (bhikkhaṃ). Thereafter, after having collected lotus sprouts I came back to my hermitage. Having hung the lotus sprout on a tree, I made my memory of my charity. Severely strong wind arose and well shook the forest then; the sky specially sounded and thunderous lightning flashed (phali) then. As a result of that, thunder fell on me; It dropped on my head then. That I remaining seated, died there. Well connected with my ‘ act of merit, I spontaneously arose in the heaven of Tusita; my dead-body (kalevara) had been made to fall (patitaṃ); I enjoyed myself in the divine world. Eighty six thousand well-adorned ladies attended upon me evening and morning; this is the fruitful result of my offering of lotus sprout. Having come to the human womb, I became happy then. There is no decrease in my wealth. This is the fruitful result of my making offering of lotus sprout. Compassionately cared for by that such like personage (tādi) as the divine of the divine-beings (devadeva), all my cankers have become all-round exhausted (parikkhāṇa), there is no more new exis- tence (for me). It was a hundred thousand aeons (kappa) ago that I made my offering of lotus sprout. I do not remember any evil existence, this is the fruitful result of making offering of lotus sprout. My depravity had been burnt. … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out.” When, hower, Arahantship had been attained by him, the Master addressed the banker Bhaddiya thus:– “Aptly adorned with adornments, your son has become established in Arahantship as he kept listening to the truth (dhamma); on that account it behoves him to become a monk but now; if he does not become a monk, he will pass away into parinibbāna.” The banker replied; “When my son is yet young, there is no business of his passing away to parinibbāna; please have him become monk,” The Master had him become a monk, gave him full ordination (upasambādetvā), dwelt there seven days, and arrived at Koṭi village: that village stood on the shore of the river Gaṅgā. Residents of Koṭi village brought about a colossal charity to the clergy of monks headed by Buddha. The Thera Bhaddaji, because he became just merely up and doing (āraddhamattāya) owing to the thanksgiving (anumodanāya) made by the Master, went out of the village and sat himself down after having entered upon a trance (samāpatti) saying to himself: “On the shore of the river Gaṅgā, near the road, I shall arise (from trance) at the time of the coming (here) of the Master.” Although the great Theras were reaching him, he did not arise (from trance) but rose up only at the time of the coming of the Master. Monks of common category (puthujjana) grambled (ujjhāyiṃsu) thus: “This one, who has recently become monk did not arise when the great Theras were coming (to him), being herdened (thaddho) with pride.” Residents of koṭi village fastened a collection of many boats for the Master as well as for the clergy of monks. The Master stood on the combined collection of boats saying to Himself: “Now, I must make manifest his power,” and asked thus: “Where is Bhaddaji?.” The Thera Bhaddaji approached the Master, and stood having clasped his hands saying: Venerable Sir! I am this one.” The Master said (to him): “ O Bhaddaji! Come; climb the one and the same boat together with us.” He jumped up and stood on the boat where the Master had boarded. At the time when mid-river of Gaṅgā was reached, the Master asked thus: “O Bhaddaji! Where is the bejewelled palace resided (ajjhāvuṭṭha) by you at the time when you were king Mahāpanāda?” “It remains immersed at the spot.” Buddha said: “Well then, O Bhaddaji! Do dispel (chinda) the doubt of your fellow leaders of holy life (sabrahmacārī).” At that moment, the Thera paid his homage to the Master, went with his vigour of magical power, restrained between his toes (pādaṅgulantarena sannirumbhitvā) the dome of the palace, caught hold of the palace twenty five leagues (yojana) in extent and sent it up (uppati) into the sky: in sending it up (uppatanto) he threw the palace up fifty leagues (yojana) from the (surface of the) water. Thereupon his relatives of the former existence, owing to their greed in relation to the palace, having been (reborn as) fishes, tortoises and frogs, when that palace rose up (uṭṭhahante) rolled all round (parivattitvā) and dropped into the water. On having seen them falling down, the Master said thus: “O Bhaddaji! Your relatives are tired (kilalmanti). On account of the word of the Master, the Thera set the palace free. The palace established itself according as it stood even. Being asked by the bhikkhus(monks) thus: “Venerable Sir! When was it that this palace was occupied as his residence by the Thera Bhaddaji?” the Master who had reached the further shore, taught the Mahāpanādajātaka and let the multitude of monks drink the immortal beverage of truth (dhamma). The Thera, however, having shown his own gold palace, where he formerly resided, revealed his Arahantship (aññā) praising the same by means of two stanzas: 163. “That king, named Panāda, had his palace built of glod; it was sixteen arrow-shots of half a league each (ubbedha) across (in width) and a thousand times (of arrow-shot) in height (or above). 164. “There were one thousand stories (kanda) and a hundred pinnacles (gaṇḍu); bountiful banners that adorned it were made of gold. There, six thousand dancers danced in seven places (sattadha). There, Panādo nāma so rājā means: Long ago there was that king named Panāda; thus he indicated himself as if to be another person owing to the disapperance of self-entity (attabhāva). Indeed, he himself, beginning from the time he became established in sovereignty, came to be widely know as “Rājā mahāpanādha (king Mahāpanāda)” because of his being endowed with such mighty sovereign power as being permanantly prosperous with effort, etc., as well as eith the sound of his famous reputation. Yassa yūpo suvaṇṇayo means: this palace of this king was made of gold. Tiriyaṃ soḷasubbedho means: In width, it is the size of sixteen arrow-shots (kaṇḍapāta). It is, however, to the extent of half a league (yojana). Ubbhamāhu sahassadhā means:– in this manner, the height of that palace was a thousand times, the size of a thousand arrows. In terms of league (yojana) it is, however, twenty five leagues (yojana) high. Here, some scholars however had done the lenghtening as “āhū” for ease in composing stanza. They say thus: “Āhu is ahosi (it was).” Sahassakaṇḍo means:– a thousand storeyed (bhūmiko). Satageṇḍu means: many a hundred pinnacled (niyyūhako). Dhajālū means: endowed with such flags as pole banners, flage banners and so on well erected here and there on pinnacles, crests and so on. Haritāmayo means: made of good coloured gold (cāmīkarasuvaṇṇa). Some scholars, however, say “Naritajātimaṇisarikkhato” which means: had the resemblance (sarikkhato) of green (herita) natural (jāti) gen (maṇi). Gandhablā means: dancers (naṭā). Cha sahassāni sattadhā means: to the extent of six thousand dancers seven times in seven spots of that palace danced for the purpose of specially bemusing the king: thus, is the meaning. Though they danced in this manner they mere not able to provoke the smile (hāsetuṃ) of the king. Thereupon, Sakka, the divine sovereign, sent celestial dancers and had a festivity performed (samajjaṃ kāresi). Then the king laughed. The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Bhaddaji is complete. ----